Like a Train Wreck
by Carleen
Summary: Grunt drabble. Enjoy! And, in the immortal words of Mister Spock: Peace be with you.
1. Chapter 1

TITLE: Like Watching a Train Wreck

PROMPT: LJ, Insanity Round January 30 / Like watching a train wreck

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Grunt checked himself in the mirror for the tenth time. Scars. He needed a few scars. A smooth face betrayed his youth and lack of experience. For a moment, he considered discussing the issue with his Battlemaster. No, seeking advice would also betray his lack of experience. Impossible to hide his intentions from the crew, he must appear confident and in control. Time to go. After pounding on his chest a few times to pump himself up he headed for the ship's galley.

The elevator doors opened and the krogan stepped confidently from the car. There she was chatting away with her friends. Why did females travel in packs? It didn't matter. This krogan was ready to claim the object of his desire and admiration. She noticed him! She was speaking to him!

"Good morning, Grunt. Why don't you join us? There's plenty of room."

He beamed with pleasure. This was going better than he expected. Grunt carefully sat down in the chair across from the goddess of his dreams. Her red hair was red like blood on a battlefield. Her green eyes captivated him with their piercing color and warmth. He was no longer a young krogan. He proved himself on the battlefield and now it was time to take a mate.

"Good morning, Kelly." He'd rehearsed this. He was ready and it was all going so well. She was smiling at him.

"Hi. How're you doing today?"

"Very well, Kelly. Very well. I wonder if… Later, after your shift… if you would like to join me… for… Kelly, would you like to breed with me later this evening?"

Observing Grunt and Kelly from the steps leading to the main battery, Commander Shepard slapped Garrus on the arm and held out her hand.

"I told you!"

Reluctantly, Garrus dropped two coins in her hand. "I watched the vid, Shepard. You were right… exactly right. It's a train wreck. I can't watch anymore."

~0~0~0~0~


	2. Chapter 2

TITLE: _See, how it works is, the ____train__ moves, not the ____station_**.**

PROMPT: First Do No Harm / Insanity Round Feb 6

Follow on story to "Like a Train Wreck"

Kelly/Grunt

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The spoon slipped from her fingers and landed with a plop in the cereal bowl. The remainder of the milk and _Froot Loops _splashed across the table. Other than the clack of the spoon against the ceramic bowl, there was no sound in the room. Kelly's only expression was a slow blink of her green eyes. Only humans would notice how they widened.

On the stairway, Commander Shepard linked her arm through Garrus' to make him stop.

"Shepard?"

"Shh!"

Yeoman Chambers folded her hands in front of her. "Grunt…" she began, forcing the corners of her mouth into something resembling a smile. "Grunt, that's very flattering. I'm late for my bridge duty, why don't you walk me up?"

The krogan's face split into a grin, which was just as toothy and intimidating as his battle face. Gallantly offering her his arm, he led her to the elevator.

"So what do you say?" He asked after the doors closed.

Thinking very carefully as she chose her words, she rembered the phrase from the Hypocratic Oath: 'First, do no harm'

"I say… why me?"

"You are brave, beautiful and delicious looking."

"I don't look anything like a krogan female. For example, I could never give you children. Isn't that what's important…"

"I don't think of children when I look at you."

"You don't… Well, what do you…?"

"Hunger." He rumbled from deep in his chest, slapping the emergency stop button with his fist.

She backed away, but the elevator wall stopped her but not nearly far enough away from the grinning krogan. The sound of his breathing grew louder as it quickened and deepened.

"I don't have much to offer you yet. But I will. I've proven myself in battle. Honor me by allowing me to take care of you."

"Grunt… I don't know what to say."

"I know you, Kelly. I see you ignore those young humans who follow you around. You need more than what they have to offer. There's a fire burning in me… Kelly... I don't know what to do with it…. When I look at you… I'm so hungry."

Standing so close to her now, she could feel that heat on her skin. Like standing next to a flame you know will burn, but seeking its warmth anyway. His breath buffeted her skin, raising gooseflesh on her exposed forearms. She felt her breasts tighten and her back arch toward him. Grunt growled in response, reaching for her.

The sound of his yearning sent shivers down her spine and ignited a fire deep in her belly. She had to reach down deep to pull enough air into her lungs. He needs her! And she will not let him down.

Placing a hand over the smooth ridges of this brown line, she whispers, "Meet me later."

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**A League of Their Own: **Ernie Capadino: _Are you coming? See, how it works is, the train moves, not the station._


	3. Chapter 3

TITLE: _If we see light at the end of the tunnel, it's the light of the oncoming train_. -James Russell Lowell

CHAPTER: 3

PROMPT: Anticipation / Insanity Round Feb 27

Follow on story to "Like a Train Wreck"

PAIRING: Kelly/Grunt

AN: This chapter was meant to be a Valentine's Day theme. Alas, RL interrupted my musings. So if you'll pretend with me that it's still Valentine's Day, we'll go on with this story. Thanks to one of my readers for this fabulously wicked idea. Mustn't let this go to waste.

* * *

The CIC was quiet and the Commander on his usual rounds of the ship. With a last look around, Yeoman Chambers secured her board and slipped away to her quarters. Her meeting with Grunt was in less than an hour and she wanted to freshen up.

She hurried into the crew quarters, happy to find the large room empty. Thinking about the meeting with Grunt she sat down on her bunk to pull off her boots. So it took her a few moments to notice an odd wetness seeping into her uniform pants. A second after her brain registered the wetness, it also interpreted warmth.

"What the…? Is this someone's idea of a joke?" Honestly, some of the marines on this ship were nothing more than children. Then Kelly Chambers flipped the covers down with an angry snap of her hand.

Down in the lower engineering level, Grunt straightened his collar and grinned at his reflection. Very proud of himself for thinking of this earth holiday, he was confidant Kelly would be properly impressed with her gift. His anticipation of their first date-for in his mind, that's what it was-he watched the clock and paced his quarters.

Mess Sergeant Gardner surreptitiously searched the ship for his latest acquisition. No one knew he had the thing, so he didn't dare call it. He'd purchased it from a volus, who'd brought it from earth to the Citadel. Gardner got it for a great price, because the volus was afraid of it. All the better for him. The ancient sailing ships had vermin and the Normandy was no different. Every time they docked at Omega Station it was the same problem.

A small tuft of fur caught his attention and he ventured a "kitty, kitty?"

The sheer volume of Kelly's scream echoed through the ship and activated the security alarms. Joker and EDI put the ship in alert status. Shepard ran for the CIC. Tali, Gabby and Kenneth stood silent, their hands poised over their boards, listening for orders.

Grunt stopped pacing, tilting his massive head and listening to the sounds above. Finally, the time had come for his date with Kelly. Before he left the room, he took a last look at the book lying on his pallet. The cover boasted a picture of a large red heart and the title read, Win Your Girl's Heart with the Perfect Valentine's Day Gift'

As he made his way up to her quarters he made a mental note to ask Mess Sergeant Gardner for more of those small fuzzy things. They were crunchy and tasty. He felt very proud of himself that he'd given Kelly the best part and he hoped Kelly enjoyed her Valentine's Day gift.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Below is an anonymous review to this story I found here. I shall let Grunt and Kelly speak for themselves in response.

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_Guest 3/8/13 . Chapter 1_

_How about not writing about a character you don't like and don't understand? What was it you called Kelly? "Creepy" that's right. You don't think there's enough Kelly bashing so you had to add your two cents? Had to pile more so you and the other idiots on the Mass Effect LJ could giggle about how Kelly will 'deflower' Grunt, because you're too stupid to pay attention to what she says?_

_Give up. This isn't good, this isn't interesting. Go back to writing dribble about Vega or Kaidan or Tali._

_I hope to god that you never like a character the rest fandom has no compunction about impugning with stupid attacks but maybe you should think about it would be like and drop this?_

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TITLE: All Aboard!

LJ/Insanity Round. Prompt: Date Night

LOCATION: SR-2 Normandy

_We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world. -_The Buddha

The lounge lights were dimmed to let the stars shine their best and soft music floated in pleasant harmonies from the speakers. Grunt wanted krogan battle chants, but he politely acquiesced to Kelly's request for soft jazz. He had to agree, the music did fit the mood. Not that he was familiar with the term 'mood music' or 'date night', but if it meant Kelly relaxed and smiled and talked to him, then he enjoyed it.

The starlight glimmered over her red hair and made her eyes sparkle. He liked to card his fingers through her hair. So soft and warm against the tough skin of his hands.

"You were reading something when I came in?"

Kelly smiled with pleasure that he would think to ask. Retrieving the old fashioned leather bound book from the table she turned to the title page, _The__ Heart Of Buddha's Teaching. _

After pouring them each another glass of wine Kelly Chambers curled back against Grunt's side.

"What's it about?"

"The Buddha is actually a title, meaning 'one who is awakened.' He taught about life and how it was a struggle and how to best live a good life.

"Is something bothering you, Kelly?" Grunt asked, tightening his arm around her. "You need me to... You know? Provide a little krogan attitude adjustment?"

He hadn't meant that to be funny, but she threw her head back and laughed anyway. That confused him a bit, because he was serious. But the shimmer of her laughing eyes and her hair falling back over her shoulders distracted him and he decided the best course of action was to stay right where he was.

"Nothing quite so drastic as that, Grunt. I read something today and it got me thinking." She turned to him and placed her hands lovingly on both sides of his massive head. "I'm just very glad that in our world, today…. People don't take things so personally, or judge and take things the wrong way too quickly."

"Yeah, that's true. 'Cause if they did….You and I couldn't be together. Right?"

"That's exactly right," she said, kissing him gently on the ridge line of his brow and snuggled up against him again.


End file.
